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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Tappan, Lewis, 1788-1873 The fugitive slave bill: its history and unconstitutionality

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05118 Author/Creator: Tappan, Lewis, 1788-1873 Place Written: New York, New York Type: Pamphlet Date: 1850 Pagination: 36 p. : Height: 17 cm, Width: 10.8 cm Order a Copy

Gives various arguments why the Fugitive Slave bill should be declared unconstitutional. Also tells the story of James Hamlet, a mulatto arrested under the law despite protests that he was not a slave. Eventually Hamlet was returned to freedom. Full title reads: "The Fugitive Slave Bill: its history and unconstitutionality; with an account of the seizure and enslavement of James Hamlet, and his subsequent restoration to liberty." Printed by William Harned. First edition. With handwritten notes in an unknown hand in pencil on pages 24-6, 28, 30, 32, 24 and 36.

Tappan, Lewis, 1788-1873

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